2.00pm
"What was that?" asked Ezra, startled from a light sleep by a faint tapping.
Josiah, seated by the window, let the binoculars drop from his eyes and turned to him,
"Sounded like the doors."
Vin was peering too, and nodded towards Ezra to open them up and take a look.
Ezra sighed and stood, wrestling briefly with the stiff handle. He opened the door slowly, and poked his head out, ready to react if the person outside was hostile or unwelcome.
He blinked.
Before him was an elderly woman swathed in purple knitwear, shakily holding out a tray and three steaming cups of coffee.
"Evening dear," she beamed up at him.
He blinked at her again.
"Err…good evening madam."
She offered the tray up,
"I thought you and your colleagues might want these."
Again, at a loss at what else to do, Ezra blinked.
"Myself and my colleagues?" he asked carefully.
The woman nodded,
"Mmmm. You've been out here all day chopping and changing around in this little van. Thought you all might like some refreshments."
The door opened wider, and Josiah and Vin appeared behind Ezra, both looking as surprised as the Southerner.
Without a word the woman handed the tray up to Josiah, and, stunned, he took it.
"Err…thank you."
She smiled,
"Anything to help if it's going to take down that dreadfully rude man Jarvis, such a disappointment to the neighbourhood," she turned and pointed across the road, "I'm Mrs. Merrin, I'm just across the road there…do you boys want any biscuits?"
They all stared at her, which she took to be a yes. Without a word, she turned and headed back off, muttering something about cookies.
Vin sighed and shook his head as Josiah peered at the coffee which smelt remarkably good.
"Chris'll be pissed."
For once, Ezra didn't disagree.